Uganda: Finding Family

There’s a couple of ways – many ways, actually – to talk about the conclusion of a trip like this.  The side of me that’s been trained to proclaim (maybe the lawyer/argumentative family background poking its head up?) wants to make a clear case for why nearly everyone should come to Uganda someday.  The theologian wants to make a case for seeing things apparent in the Kingdom through an experience like this.  My role as a father, husband, and friend leads me to emphasize the depth of need and the real opportunities to bring Christ-centered hope to the people of Uganda.

But, of course, it’s so much bigger than that.  I wholeheartedly believe that most people (good health and a reasonable amount of mobility/stamina are requirements for any kind of travel in the developing world) can and should make this trip a priority.  I also believe that, like a friend of mine told me before I went, you will see the hand of God in Uganda in clear, life-changing ways.  Just like seeing God’s handiwork is a privilege of this trip, so is the transformation of a team into a family.

When you visit Jinja and meet the people who lovingly serve Christ at the Amani Baby Cottage, you encounter people who are already serving together as a family.  Varied gifts, backgrounds, and passions abound, just like any family.  The mission of Christ unites such a disparate group of people in ways that none of us could have imagined.  And we’re certainly formed by the people whom we meet as we serve together - and thus become a family.

So let’s see if I can create a case for Uganda: you will find a family.  Your love for Christ and compassion for others will grow.  You’ll see people you’ve never met doing work that will shake the foundations of your heart.  Some of the most beautiful landscapes on God’s earth will unfold before you.  People from across the globe will embrace you, affirm your giftedness, and give you the role and the tools you need to serve children.  And your heart just might break for people you don’t even know but whom God loves dearly.

St. Augustine once wrote that a community is a group of people knit together by common objects of love.  For our team, Uganda was a tremendous experience of Christian community, knit together by love for Christ and his children.  I hope you’ll be a part of it someday.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and support.  Look for more thoughts and reflections on Uganda at this blog in the months to come.

Blessings,

Travis

Uganda Team - Travel days

Hi everyone,

We're hitting the road back to Grand Junction today.  Leaving Jinja isn't easy, but it is time to come home.  

Pray for us as we drive to Entebbe, fly to Doha, then fly again through the night back to the US.  If we find ourselves near WiFi on the way, I'll update the blog again.

Blessings,

Travis

Uganda: Days 7 & 8

Hi everyone,

The rain just stopped here in Jinja after a 2-hour downpour.  I'm back at the guest house, drinking spicy African tea and enjoying a quiet afternoon.  After more than a week of full days, our team is taking time to rest this afternoon.  We spent the morning at Amani, working on a few tile projects and sharing some great gifts with the kiddos.  Now it's down-time until dinner this evening.

Several of the women's groups and sewing groups at FPC donated dozens of hand-made outfits for the boys and girls at Amani.  Laurel and Beth helped dress each cottage of children in these wonderful new clothes.  A few of the highlights from the 'fashion show' (as we took to calling it) are below.  Many thanks to all of you who sewed and stitched and made wonderful dresses, shirts, and shorts for Amani's kids.

Yesterday, we reached a point in the tile projects when we ran out of some supplies and made a run to town for more materials.  I stayed at Amani while the rest of the team went on the shopping run, and while they were gone, we had a bit of fun.  About a dozen American college student volunteers, a few Ugandan staff members, the orphanage director, and myself took on the task of moving a huge tree we had felled earlier that day.

Now here's where it's good to be reminded of the difference between an African mentality and an American one.  When I saw the felled tree, I thought to myself, "Perfect.  More firewood."  The orphanage director (who helped found Amani ten years ago and serves faithfully to this day) said to us, "Perfect.  A new playground."  We hauled the tree - about the size of a pickup truck - from one side of the yard to the other and placed it in a small grassy area near the children's cottage.  It was a big effort, but as we've seen over and over again on this trip, having a quality team around you makes all the difference.

When the kids woke up from their naps, they immediately jumped all over the huge fallen tree / new playscape.  At one point, so many kids were climbing on it that someone remarked, "Wow - the tree looks like it's alive again."

Finally, I'd like to introduce you to my friend - Big John.  He's 14 months old.  Everyone who has come to Amani before me has found "their guy/gal" from among the babies, and I think John's my guy.

He's very small for his age, and he does have a few conditions that the staff at Amani are working to identify and resolve.  I'm not sure exactly why I'm drawn to him, but for some reason, he's special to me.  More than a few kids at Amani will capture your heart should you decide to come here with us next year, and for me, Big John will always be the first kiddo I felt drawn to when I walked into this special place.

Only a few more days here before we head home!  Crazy.

Thanks for praying for us and supporting us along the way.

Shalom,

Travis

Uganda Team Update: Day 6

Hi everyone,

One thing I admire about the church I serve is our ability to be generous for specific causes.  Just before we left for Uganda, we asked our church community to help 'sponsor' new mattresses for the mamas (caregivers) at Amani.  The response was overwhelming.

Each mattress we purchased here in Uganda is simple, but would cost each mama about a half of a month's wages.  Today, we presented the mamas (and several other key staff members) with their brand-new mattresses.  The mattresses look like giant burritos; we rolled them into cylinders so that the mamas could transport them more easily.  Cries of joy, singing, dancing, and lots of hugs marked the occasion.  You'll see some photos from that event, as well as other activities and projects from the day, just below.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the purchase and delivery of these mattresses possible.  Each gift is now a treasure to a group of hardworking ladies at Amani.

Shalom,

Travis

Garden planted by the 2013 Amani Team

US college student volunteers and the mamas praying together after Bible study.

Preparing to lay the foundation for the goat chalet. 

Matthew gets to FaceTime with his adoptive parents in the US.

Mattresses!

The mamas are excited about their new mattresses.  Thanks again for your generosity!

Uganda Team: Day 4 & 5

Hi everyone,

It's Monday morning, and the rain has finally stopped.  Last night a lovely thunderstorm rolled through Jinja, soaking the already-lush landscape and cooling everything off for the day.  The people here are grateful for rain, especially as it soaks the corn, cabbages, and other crops in the gardens here at Amani.

We spent yesterday in worship at a wonderful church, followed by lunch with their pastors and key ministry leaders.  Gospel-focused, missional leadership is alive and well in Uganda!  It was wonderful to find such enthusiastic colleagues in ministry in Jinja.

Today we're back at Amani, playing with pre-schoolers, holding infants, and helping with snack time (porridge), the latter of which reminds me of chocolate Malt-O-Meal.  Sean, myself, and a few volunteers are prepping two sink areas for new tile back-splashes.  Skilled tradecraft like tile work always amazes me.  Below is a photo of our tile workbench.

We'll be at Amani most of the day today.  This afternoon, I led a Bible study for the mamas (caregivers) here at Amani.  A group of American college students joined us, which was really great.  Here's a photo of the mamas & students praying together.

If the rain quits for good, well have a bonfire and imported American S'mores tonight. 

By the way: you can see more photos and updates via Facebook (Follow Laurel Walters or myself) and via Twitter @travisffletcher, or search hashtags #uganda and #gmgv.

Shalom,

Travis

Uganda Team - Day 3

Hi everyone,

Today was our first full day in the field, and it was a tremendously fulfilling and also challenging.  Below are just a few pictures from our day - first half spent at the Amani Baby Cottage, second half at kids club (kind of like Good News Club, but in a park) in a small village called Budongo.

Enjoy!

Travis

Uganda Team Has Arrived Safely in Jinja!

Philadelphia – Doha – Entebbe – Jinja

It doesn’t matter what the weather will be today.

That was a fleeting thought before I went to bed last night – because we’ll be in an airplane (several airplanes, actually) for the better part of the next 24 hours, it really doesn’t matter what the weather will be up to.  It feels odd to look at a day through that particular lens. And, because of the time change (plus 9 hours) during our flight today, the concept of “today” won’t really matter for a while.  The disorientation will probably be a good thing as we log thousands of miles and cross three continents.  Now that we've arrived, the disorientation is real as we sit at dinner, exhausted but glad to be here.

As I wrote most of this post late last night, we were somewhere over the North Atlantic, cruising along with a mostly-full plane of a diverse group of people.  Sean sat across the aisle from me, Laurel was directly in front of us, Beth was toward the divider wall, and Janis somehow managed to finagle a seat for herself in business class.  The thing you might notice about our aircraft is how clean and up-to-date everything is.  The new car/plane smell is gone, but it sure looks and feels newer than most of the planes I’ve ever been in.  Most planes I’ve taken feel like the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars – well-worn and somewhat patched together.  Not the case with this plane.

Beth, Sean, and I had an interesting discussion before we boarded the plane in Philadelphia.  Each of us took a few moments to call our families back home.  Sean got to hear from his boys, Beth talked with her sleepy teenage daughter, and I heard my little boy say “Hi daddy!” for the first time over the phone.  Sidebar: It’s a little mind-boggling to envision him communicating in complete sentences.  For the next 10 days, each of us will be taking a break from our usual roles as parents.  Our time away will be a bit like the spiritual discipline of fasting.

In my experience, fasting is a great way to be focused on a particular situation or season by abstaining from food.  When I’ve practiced fasting, I’ve tried to be committed to taking a particular course of action when I feel hunger or think about the fact that I haven’t eaten anything: I pray.  I pray for people who are really, truly hungry around the world.  I pray for more hunger in my heart for the Lord.  I pray for people who are starved for Christ and earnestly seeking him.  What I’m praying about is important, but it’s the reflex of prayer that makes fasting unique.  I think about something, and I pray – boom, just like that.

Beth, Sean and I talked about fasting from our families.  When we think about our families during this trip, right in that moment, we’ll pray for them.  Or pray for each other’s families.  Or for the big family we’ll be meeting at the Amani Baby Cottage.  Or for our church family back home.  That’s the hope – a reflex of prayer. 

I had hoped to be able to update the blog from the air, but unfortunately we’re not equipped with wi-fi on this flight.  Maybe the next one.  Keep checking the blog regularly for updates.

Even from a distance, I hope you’ll join us in this reflex of prayer – and thanks in-advance for the praying for our team while we’re away.  We made it safely to our home away from home, and we're here by the grace of God.

Shalom,

Travis

Uganda Team Update: 4 June

Travel Day 1: Grand Junction - Phoenix - Philadelphia

I couldn’t believe how long my son slept this morning.  After a late evening of packing and getting a few things settled around our house, I was ready for Will to rock and roll around his now-normal time of 6:15am.  I set the coffee for 6:05 and stumbled downstairs about 6:10.  The magic hour rolled around and…nothing.  I picked up the newspaper and pulled the sun shades on our south-facing front porch.  Still nothing from the nursery.  I poured myself a life-giving cup of coffee, opened my Bible and my journal at the dining table, and settled into my morning devotional.  6:30 rolled around, then 6:45.  Still nothing. 

My wife came downstairs right around the time I got Will’s bottle ready for him.  “He’s not awake yet,” she asked, “is he?” 

“Nope.  Have a cup of coffee with me.”

About 30 minutes later, we heard him stir.  We went into the nursery together and found him being goofy – as he usually is in the mornings.  He’d stuffed his head under his pillow and waited until we both walked in to toss the pillow aside and jump up in his crib with a huge smile on his face.

“OK,” I said to Jill, “now I can get on a plane for Uganda.”

My family and I went to breakfast together at one of our favorite restaurants downtown.  We played outside for a while, saw a friend and her two kiddos, then got in the car to drive across town to the airport.  The Uganda mission team had already gathered at the airport, along with one of my good friends from my Thursday morning guys’ group.  We all hugged our families and said goodbye, loaded up the eight foot-lockers filled with goodies for the kids and staff at Amani, and were lead in prayer by Karen Jensen – a member of last year’s Uganda team who had come to send us off in style.  Several members of last year’s team came to pray with us before we left, which was really special.

We had a full and uneventful flight from Grand Junction to Phoenix.  It felt a little funny to travel from one desert to another!  At the Phoenix airport, our team sat down for a late lunch/early dinner, and one of our team members shared the story of his life and faith with us.  One of our goals as a team is to truly connect and build each other up as we travel together, so during every meal on our journey to Uganda, we’ll spend time listening to one of our team members share their life story.  It’s a powerful way to push past the logistics and fatigue of travel and remind ourselves that we are here for each other, demonstrating Christ’s presence to each other by being together.

Now we’re in Philadelphia.  A few of us went on a field trip earlier this evening and enjoyed some fabulous local cheesesteaks.  Sean's had Cheese-Whiz on it, while Beth and I went for the more traditional provolone topping.  All were excellent.

We’ll stay the night at a hotel near the airport, have breakfast and hear at least one more team member’s story, then head back to the airport for our flight to Doha, Qatar.  That will be the longest leg of our trip – 12.5 hours in the air.  We have a short layover in Doha (in addition to a 9-hour time change) before fly to Entebbe, followed by a few hours in the car to Jinja.

Whew.

Everyone is doing well so far, and we’re all very grateful for this amazing opportunity to grow and serve together.  I hope to post photos and updates regularly during our journey, so please check the blog often so you won’t miss anything.

Below are a couple of photos from our day in transit.  A special thanks goes out to everyone who brought supplies for us to bring to the kids and staff at Amani.  Thanks for helping us fill up the foot-lockers with everything our friends requested!  Also, thanks to all of you who contributed support to purchase new mattresses for the mamas at Amani.  We raised well over the amount needed for those special gifts – thank you for your generosity!

Shalom,

Travis (and the Uganda Team: Sean, Laurel, Beth, and Janis)